London gallery 'brushes' with controversy after painting blunder

Published: Thursday 13th of November 2008

A world-famous London gallery was left rather embarrassed after it emerged that it may have hung some important paintings the wrong way round.

Tate Modern is currently hosting a major retrospective of the work of famed American abstract artist Mark Rothko – and suggestions have been made that two key works have been hung vertically rather than horizontally.

A pair of paintings from Rothko's Black on Maroon series are being displayed at the gallery with their bold stripes running from top to bottom, rather than the right-to-left orientation that some experts have suggested.

Debate in the art world has ensued, with several commentators pointing to the presence of the artist's signature on the back of the canvas as the most important indicator.

LondonPass holders can judge for themselves how Rothko's famous work should be displayed. They can enjoy a free audio tour of Tate Modern, saving £2 for adults and £1 for children.

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